Perfectly Imperfect
by aberlasters
Summary: Max's life is perfect. She has everything she could ask for; she is on her way to the throne and betrothed to a rich, handsome prince. However, soon she'll learn nothing can stay perfect forever. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE!
1. Introduction & Chapter 1

FULL SUMMARY: Max's life as a princess has always seemed perfect; she had everything she could ever ask for. She was on her way to becoming a queen and betrothed to one of the richest and handsomest princes in the world. Marrying someone she doesn't love and having to deal with the irritating servant that won't seem to leave her alone seem like such tiny problems, compared to the other things in her life. However, as Max's world starts to tumble down, she realizes nothing can remain perfect forever.

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><p><span>INTRODUCTION<span>

Haven't you always thought the life of a princess would be perfect? Filled with balls and handsome princes, love, and just about anything you could want? If you were expecting a story like this, I suggest you turn back right now. I can assure you my life will be the farthest thing from a perfect life. Don't get me wrong; it did start that way. My life was flawless, but I soon came to realize that a perfect life just isn't possible. My world didn't just fall down hard… It crashed and burned.

But I don't want to ruin the story, now do I? Let's start with a happy picture.

CHAPTER 1

"This one is just too hideous," my mother whispered to me, but, by the stricken look on the man's face, I could tell he had heard.

We were looking for an appropriate husband for me, and so far my mother had found something wrong in each man that had lined up. There were about twenty men lined up in hopes that they would be chosen. It wasn't my choice, really. It was more my mother's choice. She wanted to choose the most influential kingdom that would create a huge empire when joined with ours.

We stopped in front of a scrawny looking man that seemed a little too conceited for his own good. My mother shook her head.

"An embarrassment, right darling?" my mother whispered to my father.

He nodded faintly, causing a sigh to escape from my mother's mouth. I always felt I understood my father more than my mother. He was just like me; he didn't care about all of this stuff. Of course, he was leader of the kingdom, so he had to do a lot of work, but he never thought too much about who I would marry or matters like that.

After another few rejects, we stopped in front of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man about the same age as me. By the clothes he was wearing, you could tell he came from a wealthy background.

My mother smiled approvingly, and, by the look in her eyes, I knew she had already picked him.

"Which kingdom are you from?" my mother asked. That's her, precise and to the point.

"Illyrius," the man said, smiling.

My mother smiled approvingly. "And what is your name?"

He grinned, knowing the marriage was in the bag. He took my hands mom and shook it firmly. "It's nice to meet you, Queen Ride. My name is Dylan."

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><p><strong>Yup, so I hope you liked it. I know it's boring, but it's going to get a lot more interesting. Please review, because reviews help me feel inspired and help me update faster!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

3 MONTHS LATER

Max P.O.V.

"Dylan," I gasped. "Not now, someone will catch us."

My breath was coming out irregularly, as Dylan kissed my neck, making his way to my collarbone.

"But Max," he whined, in between kisses. He brought his lips to mine in a passionate kiss, maneuvering his tongue into my mouth. Even though the kiss didn't send tingles running up my arms or cause my heart beat to quicken, I kissed him back just as fiercely, causing a moan to escape his mouth.

There was a knock on my door, and I quickly sprung away from Dylan, throwing a glare at him. I smoothed out my clothes, threw Dylan his shirt, and went to go open the door.

There, smirking with his onyx eyes, black hair, and olive skin was the head maid's son, Nick. I called him Fang, though, but that's another story in itself.

Fang's eyes hardened a little when he saw Dylan scrambling to put his shirt on. No one else would be able to tell, but I had a special talent of being able to read him.

"Here is your laundry, Princess_ Maxine_," he said, purposely getting it wrong to annoy me. It was Maximum, and he knew that. He just loved getting a reaction from me. He handed me my washing.

"It is Princess Maximum, and thank you Nicholas. You are dismissed," I said, smirking at him. He hated when people told him what to do, so I constantly went out of my way to do just that.

Dylan wrapped his arms around my waist. "What's going on between you two?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"What do you mean?" I replied, untangling myself from his arms and taking out a dress to wear for dinner.

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you," he told me.

"Well, nothing's going on," I said, rolling my eyes when my body was facing away from Dylan's. "He's just a servant that enjoys annoying me for some reason. You have nothing to worry about." I took his face in my hands and gave him a quick kiss, causing a satisfied smile to form on his face.

"Nothing to worry about," he muttered to himself, while getting his own clothes ready.

Fang P.O.V.

I stormed to the kitchen, my eyes blazing and my insides feeling like they burning. Max's voice repeated over and over in my head. _He's just a servant. You have nothing to worry about._ I knew those two lines would keep me from sleep all night for the next week.

Max P.O.V.

"Princess Maximum, dinner is ready," Loretta told me.

"Thank you, Loretta," I said, looking up from my reading and following her to the dining hall.

My father, mother, and Dylan were all seated in their respectable places around the table, and I took my position across from Dylan.

My mother rang her bell, signaling the servants that we were ready for dinner. Almost instantly, Fang, his mother, and two other servants came out with our appetizers. Fang put my plate in front of me, sending me such a cold glare that it made shivers run through my body and caused my eyes to widen.

After dinner, I automatically went to hunt him down. His mother pointed to his little room above the kitchen, and I thanked her, going inside without knocking. I _was _a princess after all.

Fang was lying on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He turned his head slightly when he saw me and quickly looked away. "Leave," he muttered quietly.

Instead, I sat down on the edge of his bed. "Why are you so angry with me?" I asked him. It's not like it mattered, but I was genuinely curious what the reason for his anger towards me was.

"You won't like what I have to say," he sneered, "I don't want my mother to be thrown out of the castle."

I pressed my lips together. "Just say it."

He sat up, glaring at me. "Do you want to know what I think? I think you're a mindless idiot that won't say how you really feel. I think that you don't care your life is being planned out for you in a way you obviously don't like. I think you're a coward who doesn't stand up for what she wants. And I think that the kingdom could not have a _worse_ leader," he spat at me.

I stared at him in shock but quickly gathered my bearings. I poked my finger at his chest, hard. "You know nothing about me, Nicholas. Don't you dare judge me."

"Of course I don't know anything. I'm just a servant, right?" he hissed. "Get _out _of my room."

"My pleasure, I said, just as vehemently, storming out. I've never hated anyone in my life (though I did come pretty close in the past), but I think I was beginning to.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked this chapter. Ooooh, tension. Next chapter the plot is going to be unraveled and things will speed up from there. If you were wondering, yes, I did make Max slightly stuck up. Please review!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

Max's P.O.V.

As I was storming to my room, I overheard my name. I slowed down, curious to see who was talking about me. It was probably just a maid or a servant, but you never know.

"...you expect to carry this out?" someone said. "There will be people watching her at every corner."

There was a moment of silence. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? Don't you think I would have realized that problem?" another man said in a condescending tone. "It will be easy if you follow my plan precisely and make no mistakes whatsoever. One mistake and the whole plan will fail. Understood?"

"Alright, if you say so. As long as I get my end of the deal," the other man muttered back, obviously embarrassed.

"Of course you'll get your reward, just as I promised. Plenty of gold, more than enough to live off of until the day you die. We'll both have what we want. All we need to do is kill the princess without _anyone finding out_. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" 

I backed up quickly, my eyes wide in horror. No…. No…. This couldn't be happening to me, not me of all people. My life was perfect; no one could be plotting to _kill _me. I shook my head, hoping that what I just heard was a terrible, terrible dream. No luck; I knew I was awake, and there was nothing I could do.

I ran back to my room; I needed to devise a plan. What would happen if I alerted an official? The murderers would probably kill my family. Could I tell my parents? No, they would think I was lying for attention. What about Dylan? No, he would immediately let the officials know. I knew I only had one option: running away. I had to leave the palace, so the murderers couldn't hurt anyone I loved. If I was out of the way, they could get what they wanted without harming my family or friends.

But who could I trust? As a child, I only went out of the palace a few times, and even then, I only visited the richer parts of town. I was no fool; I knew this wasn't what it was like everywhere. If I wanted to survive, I would have to take someone along with me. Someone who spends most of their life outside of these palace gates.

I subconsciously knew the answer before I even thought of the question. There was only one person that I could ask, and if I was going to convince him to come with me; first I would have to beg for his forgiveness.

**Really short chapter, but I wanted to get an update in because I haven't updated since… 9/29/11… Oops. Plus, this introduces the plot of the story, so it's a very important chapter. I kind of love the conclusion… What do you guys think? Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Max's P.O.V.

_How could this be happening to me? _This was the thought that raced through my mind as I rushed back to the servants' quarters. I had always been a good girl; I did what I was told. I never questioned my parents' authority. So what could I have possibly done to deserve this…? To be the target of _murder_?

I slowed down, trying to act casual, while inside I was panicking. All I wanted to do was curl up in the corner and cry. But I knew I needed to take action, so I had to be my calm, collected self, so no one would suspect anything.

Fang's mother looked up at me and gave me a small, confused smile. She was probably wondering why I was returning to Fang's room after I had stormed out angrily less than ten minutes ago.

When I burst through the doors, Fang's head snapped up, and his eyes widened in surprise. I closed the doors gently and sat down next to him on the bed.

"What do you want?" Fang asked, his confusion and surprise making him forget the animosity he was feeling towards me.

I allowed my calm façade to drop and showed him the fear and despair I was feeling. "Nicholas, I urgently need your help… I have to tell you something, but if I do, I need to know you won't tell anyone, not even your own mother. I need to know that you will help me."

Fang raised his eyebrows. "What's in it for me?"

I frantically searched through my head. "Anything… Anything you want. I'll give you as much money as you desire."

He didn't look convinced yet. "I don't know… If this task is dangerous, should I really risk my life just for money?"

I knew what I had to do. It was this or my life. "Nicholas, if you do this for me… You can marry me. Meaning, you will be king." I gulped, waiting for his reply.

His eyes widened again, as utter surprise overtook him for the second time that day. "Me? King?"

"Yes, yes. You will have all the power you want. As much money as you need. You and your family will never live in poverty again," I assured him.

He mulled it over, but I already knew I had put an offer on the table that he couldn't resist.

"Alright, I'll help you. What's happened?" he asked.

"I-I overheard someone. They were speaking of me. About a plan… A plan to murder me. I need to escape, quickly. They cannot find out that I know, so I need to get out of here as fast as I possibly can. I'm not knowledgeable about the world outside of the castle, but I know you are, so I need you to guide me. Can you help?"

He gave me a lopsided grin, and I looked at him wide eyed, wondering how he could possibly smile at a time like this. "Sure, I can help, Max. But on one condition. Stop with the Nicholas stuff; just call me Fang like you used to."

I reeled back, shocked. He still remembered those days? I knew he did; I could tell by the emotion in his dark black eyes. It seemed like something had lit up in those usual pools of darkness.

"Alright, I can do that… Fang." I smiled at him, and unexpectedly, pulled him into a hug. I could tell he was surprised, but eventually his arms circled around me. I put everything into that hug; how thankful and lucky I was for his help.

"Thank you, Fang. Really, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this."

"It's no problem, Max. Just tell me when you want to go," he told me.

"Now? Is that too soon to ask? Every second I stay in this castle, the more unsafe I feel. Do you think you could get some of your mother's clothes, so that I don't attract any attention once we leave?" I questioned.

"Of course, I'll get them right now. We should leave in the shadow of night, though. It will be safer because we won't be as susceptible to capture."

I nodded, agreeing. "Okay, get some of your mother's clothes, and meet me at my room at around midnight. I'll make sure Dylan is asleep."

I could see his eyes harden when I mentioned Dylan, but he nodded nonetheless. We said our last goodbyes, and I left, going back to my room, where I knew Dylan would be waiting.

Fang's P.O.V.

I lay down on my bed again, replaying the encounter in my head over and over. I seemed to be bipolar around Max; one second I was furious, the next second I was leaping to help her.

Even though she riled me up to no end, every time I was close to her, I seemed to get drunk off of her presence. She made my skin tingle and butterflies go off in my stomach. And as cheesy as it sounded, maybe I liked that feeling.

I shook my head to dispel the thought. I had those same feelings for Max a long time ago, and that had ended in disaster. I was helping Max for one reason, and that one reason was to marry her, so my family and I would never have to live through hardship again.

Max's P.O.V.

"Hey Dylan," I greeted, as I walked into my room. "Do you want some tea? I was thinking about making some for myself."

He smiled up at me, and I memorized what his striking, blue eyes looked like because I knew I may not see them again in a long, long time.

"Sure Max. That would be great," he replied, looking back at his book.

I quickly walked down to the kitchen and got the tea that I had been asked to be prepared. I thanked them, and on my walk back to my room, I slipped some of the sleeping syrup the servants had given me into Dylan's drink.

"There you go, Dyl," I said, making sure I handed Dylan the right cup of tea.

"Thanks Max," he replied while taking a sip of his tea.

I closed my eyes, trying to dispel the guilt from my system. I knew that Dylan had to be in a deep sleep when I escaped because if he woke up, there was no way he would let me leave the castle, especially if he knew the deal I had made with Fang.

Around nine, we turned off the lights because Dylan was already starting to feel the effects of the sleeping syrup. By nine-thirty, he was knocked out, snoring at a sound that almost hurt my ears.

I lay down on my bed, staring at the ceiling. It was almost like I was too numb to even think.

Suddenly I head a soft knocking on my door, and I tiptoed out of my bed, making sure not to wake Dylan. I grabbed the small bag I was going to take and opened the door to find Fang clutching a dress.

"Can you change in here? I don't think you can go to another room to change without attracting attention. You know how vigilant the guards are on their night watch," Fang whispered.

I nodded, grabbing the clothes and ushering Fang into the room. "Hide in the closet," I hissed. "I'll be right back."

I scurried to the bathroom and changed as quickly as I could. I allowed myself a few seconds to relish how soft and comfortable the commoners' clothes were, and then went back inside my room to find Fang.

"Let's go, Fang," I whispered, opening the door again. Fang followed me out and gently closed the door behind me.

"Are you ready, Max? Once we leave these gates, you will no longer be a princess, and you will face things you never thought you would," Fang said, looking me in the eyes.

I looked back and found myself nodding. "I'm ready, Fang."

**Phew, haven't updated in a while. Heh heh. Tell me if you like it, and if you like the way the story is heading. I'm hoping to unravel Max and Fang's past as the story progresses. Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Max P.O.V.

Fang smiled and thanked the woman as she ushered us onto the ferry. We had decided that staying in our town was too dangerous, so we were going to Damandria, which was about two kingdoms over. We didn't know what we'd do once we got there, and a whirlwind of questions were swirling through my mind. How would we find food? Where would we live? How would we make money? But most important of all: how would I tell Fang that I would never be going back to my kingdom?

I sighed, resting my head in my hands, just as the ferry started. My world was falling apart, when just yesterday it was close to perfect.

"Hey Max. It's okay; everything is going to be fine," Fang said, putting an arm around my shoulder. I immediately tensed, shaking it off and glaring at him before I walked to the other side of the ship.

Fang P.O.V.

I groaned, slapping my forehead. Why did I even _think_ that Max asking me for help suddenly meant we were buddies again? Obviously she still hated me.

Suddenly, I felt a flare of fury rage through my body. How was any of this my fault? It wasn't. Max was the one who decided that she would stop talking to me; Max was the one who decided that she would treat me like a commoner, even though she knew that was the one thing I hated more than anything.

In truth, this wasn't my fault at all. And if Max wasn't going to make any effort to even get along, then I wasn't going to either.

Max P.O.V.

Fang infuriates me; how could he think I'd like him after everything that has happened to us? He couldn't seriously believe that I would ever, _ever_ want to be even _acquaintances_ with him, could he?

There was no way I was getting close to Fang ever again. No matter what happened, I would never allow myself to be Fang's friend.

_TWO DAYS LATER_

I stumbled off the ship, thankful to be back on ground. After two days on sea, land was a very welcome sight. Things between Fang and me were still quite awkward; I think he was still angry at be for brushing him off in the ferry. Not that I cared, but I kind of needed him to talk to me if we were to figure out what we had to do. 

"Max, I think we should find some shelter first. There are probably some camps that would be willing to take us in around the forest, so I think we should head there," Fang told me.

"Alright, let's go," I replied, following him as he made his way down the path.

We walked in awkward silence for ten minutes before I heard Fang sigh.

"Listen, Max. I don't want to fight. Can't we just call a truce? Forget the past? What happened happened, and we can't change that. But right now, we're here together, and if we hate each other, we won't be able to accomplish anything. Agreed?" Fang asked.

I knew he was right; I had been thinking the same thing for quite a while now. "Agreed."

We arrived at the forest and I was shocked to see how many tents there were, and how many people were living in poverty. Was it like this in my own kingdom? I glanced at Fang, and he seemed nonchalant. That gave me my answer.

I was once again surprised when someone immediately welcomed us and told us how the campsite worked.

"You will only be assigned to a tent if you bring in at least one pound of food, and other assigned provisions each month. You have two strikes, so if you fail twice, you will promptly be kicked out of the camp, no matter the weather. Understood?" a man explained, as if he had gone through the same routine over and over again.

Fang nodded. "Do we have to bring in twice the amount even if we are married?" he asked.

I pressed my lips together, preventing a snarky comment from passing through my lips. I understood what Fang was trying to do.

The man eyed me. "I suppose not, as long as she doesn't cause any problems." With that, he handed us a tent and told us to find some space to put it up. Next, he gave us some sheets and a blanket.

I watched as Fang set up the tent, until he looked up at me. "Do you think you could help? Setting up a tent was not made for one person."

I nodded, following his directions. It was a lot easier now that we were no longer fighting because we _did_ make a pretty good team.

We looked at our finished tent, admiring our handiwork, which was pretty good considering I had no idea how to put up a tent whatsoever. We ducked inside and spread out the sheets.

I glanced uneasily at the small space of the tent. Fang and I had just gotten into a somewhat tolerable relationship, and this sleeping arrangement would just make things a lot more uncomfortable. __

Whatever, I couldn't worry about that now. I glanced at Fang. "What now?" I asked.

He looked at me, worry collecting in his eyes. "Now we find jobs."

Fang P.O.V.

"Fang, how the hell am I supposed to find a job?" Max exclaimed, as we walked back into town.

"Honestly? I have no idea," I replied.

Max threw her hands up in the air and huffed in annoyance but followed anyone. "This is ridiculous," she muttered. "I don't even _know _how to do anything."

Suddenly I smiled, finding the perfect solution in the form of a sign. "Seamstresses wanted. Weren't you trained by one of the best seamstresses in our kingdom?"

Max opened her mouth, most likely to contradict me, but then quickly shut it. She began to nod her head. "You're right; that just might work." 

"Wow, the great Maximum Ride agreeing with me? A miracle! Anyway, why don't you go talk to them? If you're done before me, head back to camp. I'll meet you there," I told her.

She stalked off towards the shop, but not before hitting me less than nicely on the head. I grumbled, rubbing the already aching spot, and continued looking for other signs.

Max P.O.V.

A bell rang once I opened the door, and I glanced around the shop, looking for an employee to talk to.

"Hello?" I said to the person who was working at the front desk. "I saw that you were looking for a seamstress, and I believe I am highly qualified for the job. I've had many years of experience and have worked with many other talented seamstresses."

The woman eyed me. "Alright," she said, handing me some cloth, a needle, and string. "Sew me something. If it's good enough, I will hire you. But if you know you can't do this, please leave now and don't waste my materials or time."

Well, this woman was blunt. I took the materials confidently and sat on a chair that I found in one of the corners of the shop. After about thirty minutes of sewing, I handed her back the cloth.

She looked it over with scrutinizing eyes, muttering under her breath from time to time. Finally, she nodded. "This is quite satisfactory. You are hired."

Wow, _someone _was not easily satisfied. I offered her a smile and was surprised to find her give me a smile back. Not even a mean, condescending smile, but a true, genuine one.

The woman, who told me to call her Mel, told me my responsibilities and hours, and then immediately sent me off to work.

I collapsed in my tent, exhausted. Who knew that sewing could be so tiring? My hands would be aching by the time dinner came around. But it was a pretty well-paying job (at least I think so), so I couldn't complain.

Fang entered the tent quietly, and I looked at him. "Any luck?" I asked, sitting up.

He sighed, shaking his head. "You?"

"Yes, I received the job at the seamstress shop," I said, and in an attempt to comfort him continued, "That should give us enough money until you find a job."

He sat down next to me and put his head in his hands. "I'm so sorry, Max. I'll find a job; don't worry."

I put an arm around him. That was okay now that we weren't angry at each other, right? He leaned into my arm, sighing.

"Hey, it's okay. I know you'll find a job soon," I whispered. 

He offered me a smile, looking up. I blushed, looking away from his obsidian eyes. Why did it always seem like they were figuring out everything I was trying so hard to hide?

Fang abruptly stood up, and my arm came back to my side. "Anyway," he said, avoiding my eyes. "Better help out around the campsite. They may need me."

He ducked out of the tent, and I looked at his retreating form, wishing more than ever that things had never changed.

**Ugh, this chapter is so bad. You can tell me that because, seriously, it was. Don't worry; things will pick up in the next chapter. Please review, and sorry for the long wait! I'm going to try **_**really **_**hard to update more frequently. **


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